cacb.thefarkingdoms-第58部分

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　〃But　it　never　came　to　that；〃　Maeen　said。　〃We　went　on；　and　came　to　a　city；　just　at　the　foot　of　the　pass。〃
　I　remembered　the　place。　〃That　must　have　been　where　the　cavalry　came　from　that　attacked　us。〃
　Maeen　nodded。　〃That's　what　the　city　leaders　said；　and　apologized。　All　of　them　spoke　the　trading　language。　Said　they　had　terrible　enemies　beyond；　and　the　mander　of　the　unit　had　been　too　hasty。　They　apologized；　as　the　captain　would　put　it；　most　profusely。〃　Maeen　looked　as　if　he　wanted　to　spit；　but　recollected　his　surroundings。　〃From　that　day；　our　doom　closed　on　us；〃　he　said。
　The　city　was　beautiful；　as　were　its　people。　〃They　told　the　general　and　Captain　Greycloak　how　much　they　weled　our　ing。〃　This　would　mark　the　dawn　of　a　new　day；　the　city　fathers　had　said；　a　day　when　they　would　make　alliance　with　Orissa；　and　no　longer　fear　the　warriors　of　the　Disputed　Lands。　They　were　especially　pleased　when　they　learned　the　expedition's　goal。　e　spring　some　of　the　city's　young　soldiers　might　wish　to　join　the　party；　and　march　on　east；　to　the　Far　Kingdoms。　The　city；　which　was　named　Wahumwa；　had　been；　aeons　earlier；　firm　friends　with　the　peaceful　savants　of　the　Far　Kingdoms。
　The　sergeant　stopped；　pulled　a　tattered　roll　of　cloth　from　his　tunic；　and　handed　it　to　me。　〃As　proof；〃　he　said；　〃those　lying　bastards　gave　the　captain　this。〃
　I　unrolled　the　cloth　and　gaped　at　what　had　been　revealed。　It　was　a　banner；　suitable　for　cavalry；　and　so　old　the　linen　was　a　dirty　gray。　But　the　markings　were　quite　clear：　set　against　a　jagged　sunburst　was　a　great　coiled　serpent。　I　remembered　the　symbol　well。　My　mind　quickly　flew　to　the　Pepper　Coast　and　the　warrior　in　amber　whose　ghost　we　had　soothed。　The　serpent　and　sunburst　had　been　carved　into　the　leather　pouch　the　dead　warrior　wore。
　Sergeant　Maeen　said；　〃They　told　us　that　banner　had　been　carried　by　the　soldiers　of　the　Far　Kingdoms。　And　was　left　behind　the　last　time　they　came　to　help　them　fight。〃
　〃What　did　Janos　think？〃　I　asked。
　〃Oh；　he　said　it　was　from　the　Far　Kingdoms；　all　right。　And　that　it　must　be　the　crest　of　the　rulers　there。〃
　〃He　was　that　certain；〃　I　pressed。　I　remembered　we　both　thought　the　crest　might　signify　something　like　that。
　〃As　certain　when　they　gave　it　to　him；〃　Maeen　answered；　〃as　the　day　he　gave　it　me　to　hand　over　to　you…if　I　lived　to　see　you。〃
　I　rolled　the　cloth　back　up　and　put　it　in　my　writing　desk。　It　sits　there　to　this　day。　Then　I　gently　prodded　the　sergeant　to　take　up　where　he　left　off。　〃So；　the　people　of　the　city　claimed　friendship　with　the　Far　Kingdoms？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　That　is　what　those　liars　told　us；〃　Maeen　said　bitterly。　〃They　told　us　the　city　had　fought　several　wars　with　the　barbarians　of　the　Disputed　Lands；　and　had　lost　contact　with　the　Far　Kingdoms。　Because　of　these　wars　there　were　vacant　apartments　enough　for　all　of　us　and　to　spare。　We　need　not　pitch　our　tents　or　sleep　on　the　ground。　And　as　for　panionship　from　the　city's　many　widows　or　unattached　women　。。。　that　too　was　for　the　asking。〃　Maeen　touched　the　herbal　drink　to　his　lips；　then　set　it　down　and　asked　if　he　might　have　brandy。
　I　poured　him　a　goblet；　and　he　went　on。　〃So　we　moved　in；　and　little　by　little；　what　had　been　a　military　force　crumbled；　as　the　winter　storms　began。　Why　need　we　drill；　or　even　make　formation；　if　we　could　build　our　strength　beside　a　fire；　with　a　doxy　and　mulled　wine？　I　did　not　like　those　days。　I　felt　as　if　I　were　the　butt　of　a　private　joke；　as　if　all　of　us　were　being　made　fools；　like　these　people　were　jesting　behind　our　backs。〃
　I　puzzled：　surely；　when　Janos　and　I　had　been　there；　we　would　have　seen　smoke　from　the　city's　fires　by　day；　or　the　fire　dance　reflected　against　the　mountains　by　night。　But　perhaps　not；　perhaps　the　city　had　been　hidden　by　a　fold　in　the　ground。　Maeen　told　me　Janos　had　attempted　to　reconnoiter　the　pass　itself；　but　each　time　had　been　driven　back　by　the　weather。　Finally　he　resigned　himself　to　being　mired　in　the　luxurious　trap　until　the　snow　melted；　and　once　more　returned　to　his　private　studies。　〃Although　little　good　they　did　him…or　us…in　the　end；　I　fear。〃
　To　celebrate　midwinter's　eve；　the　city　people　announced　a　feast。　It　was　in　a　great　hall；　with　long　tables；　rare　foods；　and　a　woman　seated　beside　each　man。　Servants　ran　back　and　forth　with　platters　and　pitchers　while　musicians　played　and　perfume　floated　through　the　air　from　scented　tapers。　〃I　do　not　know　why　I　came　armed；〃　Maeen　said。　〃But　I　did；　slipping　a　fighting　dagger　into　the　sleeve　of　my　robe…violating　all　that　I　know　of　hospitality。　And　the　gods　be　thanked　for　my　discourtesy。〃
　He　did　not　see　any　signal；　but　the　woman　across　from　him　suddenly　plunged　a　dagger　into　the　back　of　her　panion。　The　hall　went　mad　in　a　screaming　welter　of　blood　and　slaughter　as　swords　and　knives　cut　down　the　Orissans。　〃My　blade　slashed　before　the　one　beside　me　could　free　her　own。　She　fell；　then　the　captain　was　on　his　feet；　smashing　them；　using　a　great　candelabra　as　a　club。　I　knew　we　were　dead　men；　but　it　was　as　if　the　people　were　entranced　by　the　blood　they'd　spilled。〃　He　shivered。　〃I　saw　a　woman；　fair　and　blond；　on　her　knees　ripping　at　General　Versred's　throat　like　she　was　a　lioness。　And　then　she　。。。　and　the　rest　of　them　。。。　fed。〃
　The　men　and　women　of　the　city　ravened　into　the　corpses；　but　seemed　to　have　no　interest　or　concern　for　those　Orissans　yet　alive。　And　while　this　spell　lasted；　the　survivors　of　the　shattered　expedition　fled；　grabbing　what　weapons　and　supplies　they　could；　racing　out　into　the　storm　and　the　night　and　the　winter。　Eerily；　they　were　not　pursued　by　the　loathsome　people　who　inhabited　the　city　they　called　Wahumwa。　〃Perhaps　they　had　all　they　needed；〃　Maeen　said。　I　thought　just　so；　and　that　human　flesh　was　not　their　real　objective；　but　kept　it　to　myself。
　There　were　perhaps　two　or　three　hundred　Orissans　who　lived　through　the　massacre。　The　ranking　officer　was　Janos；　of　the　officers；　only　two　legates　survived。　The　long　retreat　began。　Now　the　scythe　swung　hourly　as　men　dropped　from　exhaustion；　from　thirst；　or　were　captured　or　slain　by　the　desert　tribesmen。
　〃At　last　there　were　but　thirty　or　so　of　us；　and　Janos　the　only　officer。　We　had　no　means　of　navigation　but　the　sun　and　the　stars；　and　wandered　from　our　intended　course。　Finally　we　struck　the　sea；　but　west　of　the　Shore　People's　land；　on　a　deserted　coast。　Two　of　the　men　had　grown　up　on　the　water；　and　knew　how　to　build　rafts。　We　lashed　together　a　crude　craft；　made　a　small　sail　from　what　garments　we　could　do　without；　and　put　our　fate　in　the　hands　of　the　gods；　hoping　the　current　would　carry　us　to　Redond。〃
　They　never　reached　the　trading　city。　Instead；　they　were　captured　by　a　raiding　galley。　〃They　claimed　to　be　pirates；　but　all　of　them　behaved　like　well…trained　sailors。　Lycanthian　navy；　I　guessed。　Eight　more　of　us　fell　in　that　battle。　The　rest　of　us　were　chained　in　the　forepeak　of　the　ship；　and　the　ship　sailed　for　Lycanth。
　〃Captain　Greycloak　and　I　made　a　plan；　and　when　we　were　brought　on　deck　just　outside　that　cursed　bay　of　Lycanth；　we　put　it　in　motion。　The　idea　was　for　Janos　to　start　a　fight；　and　hope　the　others　would　join　in。　Since　I　was　a　great　swimmer　as　a　boy；　I　was　to　leap　into　the　water；　and　strike　for　land。　If　the　captain　could　break　free…he　would　go　after　me。〃　Maeen　shook　his　head；　shamefacedly；　as　if　somehow　he　had　failed。　〃But　the　last　I　saw　was　the　captain　being　borne　down　by　guards。　Then　there　were　arrows　falling　all　around　me；　and　I　had　to　swim　underwater　for　a　space。〃
　Maeen　made　his　way　to　shore　in　time　to　see　the　galley　pass　over　the　great　chain　that　guarded　the　entrance　to　Lycanth's　harbor。　There　was　nothing　he　could　do　for　Janos　or　the　others；　except　carry　the　tale　to　Orissa。　He　told　of　this　final　feat　most　matter…of…factly；　as　if　the　wild　creatures　and　the　roving　Lycanthian　patrols　were　not　worth　the　notice。　I　guessed；　after　such　a　long　and　gruel…ing　journey；　they　might　not　have　been。
　Maeen　was　finished。　I　poured　him　another　brandy；　and　bethought　myself　as　to　what　should　be　done　next。　But　matters　were　taken　out　of　my　hands　within　two　hours。　Someone…a　guard　at　the　gates；　someone　in　the　streets；　perhaps　even　one　of　my　household…had　spread　the　word。　Orissa　wept　and　rent　its　garments。　There　had　been　catastrophe　in　the　city　before。　But　never　before　had　there　been　such　a　disaster。　No　survivors　of　the　two　thousand；　except　for　Maeen。　All　of　them　either　dead；　lost　in　the　wilderness；　or　made　slaves：　three　Magistrates；　young　but　highly　respected；　General　Versred　and　his　staff；　other　officers；　all　known　for　their　bravery；　all　of　the　Magistrates'　Own　Guard　except　the　skeleton　headquarters　staff　and　one　cohort；　and　heaping　over　all　of　it；　the　hundreds　of　corpses　of　mon　soldiers；　some　of　the　bravest；　most　adventurous　young　men　of　Orissa。
　Maeen　was　summoned　before　the　Magistrates　and　told　his　story。　I　had　suggested　certain　omissions；　such　as　any　criticism　of　the　late　General　Versred；　the　deadly　slow　pace　of　the　expedition；　or　of　Janos　himself。　Not　that　it　would　have　mattered；　I　realized；　as　I　listened　to　the　anger　and　wails　of　mourning。　Maeen　was　ordered　to　repeat　his　tale　at　a　city　gathering　at　the　Great　Amphitheater；　and　again　the　frenzy　roared　up。　Orissa　was　hysterical：　rumors；　charges；　and　accusations　clamored　across　the　city　like　flames　in　dry　brush　as　to　what　had　really　happened。　The　flames　were　fed　by　the　Evocators；　with　Cassini　in　their　forefront。　Not　only　should　the　expedition　have　been　made　solely　by　sorcerous　means；　the　Evocators　casting　their　presence　through　spells；　but　it　was　foredoomed；　being　led　into　a　trap　by　Janos　Greycloak。　He　was　a　traitor；　a　double　agent　in　the　pay　of　the　Archons。　He　was　worse；　a　fiend　from　beyond；　not　even　human。　Who；　after　all；　had　ever　gone　deep　into　the　interior；　beyond　Redond；　and　found　this　province　of　Kostroma？　It　was　Janos　who　was　keeping　Orissa　from　its　sacred　mission　to　join　up　with　the　Far　Kingdoms。　Janos'　supporters　would　hear　none　of　this；　but　their　arguments　that　this　tragedy　was　caused　by　the　Evocators；　who　wished　to　preempt　the　glory　of　the　Far　Kingdoms　for　themselves　and　sustain　their　miserable　theocracy；　were　not　listened　to。　Even　Gamelan　found　it　politically　expedient　to　withdraw　to　his　retreat　beyond　the　city；　there　to　immerse　himself　in　the　wisdom　of　the　Other　Worlds　before　making　a　statement　on　the　terrible